Thursday, April 30, 2009

Awesome. In a modern day, real life Lysistrata re-enactment, Kenyan women are coming together with a plan to withhold sex from husbands for a higher political cause. Ida Odinga and Lucy Kibaki (pictured here) are being urged to join the campaign, they are respectively the wives of the PM and the President. President Kibaki and PM Odinga have been in a political squabble for sometime now, and the nation fears violent political unrest. The movement hopes to get the two leaders to make up and prioritize unity. According to CNN, Ida Odinga supports the campaign "100%"

Women's activist groups in Kenya have slapped their partners with a week-long sex ban in protest over the infighting plaguing the national unity government.

The Women's Development Organisation coalition said they would also pay prostitutes to join their strike.

Patricia Nyaundi, executive director of the Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida), one of the organisations in the campaign, said they hoped the seven-day sex ban would force the squabbling rivals to make up.

She said the campaign would start from her bedroom and that emissaries had been sent to the two leaders' wives, Ida Odinga and Lucy Kibaki, urging them to join in and lead from the front.

"Great decisions are made during pillow talk, so we are asking the two ladies at that intimate moment to ask their husbands: 'Darling can you do something for Kenya?'"

The jury found 32-year-old Allen Andrade guilty of both first-degree murder and of a bias motivated crime or hate crime. It is believed to be the first conviction in state history for a hate crime against a transgender person.

I'm not sure if this sets a nationwide precedent, but i wouldn't be surprised.

As always, I have complex feelings around the failings of our (in)justice system, a system that does not rehabilitate, a system where big wigs make bank from imprisoning humans, a system rife with oppression... but i do hope that the friends and family of Angie Zapata find some redemption in this historical ruling, and i hope that this sends a message to people inclined to violence that you can't get away with hurting transgendered folks.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Thank you everyone who has been sooooo generous to this cause. I also wanna give thanks and props to those who are doing the work with offenders, and those who mentor young men around non-violent ways to embody masculinity.

And I can't front, I am EXCITED!! I am just $78 away from my goal of $1000- AND my annual call for men of color to walk with me has been answered. Yay! Together, we plan to model that men of color ARE visible, active, caring allies to women, and not just people to be profiled as perpetrators.

I invite you to even contribute $5... every little bit helps a woman get crucial services at SF's only community run rape crisis center. If 8 people give $10, that's it, we are GOOD! Though if you click into the link and see that we busted the 1K, don't let that stop you either! :)

http://www.firstgiving.com/richardwright1

you can also just click the widget at the right.

Again, thanks for your support and readership, and thank you SFWAR. lets do this!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Bay Area! These are different"his-stories" being told here, these stories model ways men should be talking, issues we should be examining. Don't miss the newest edition of:The Men's Story ProjectBuilding Strength, Creating Peace

The Men's Story Project is a new performance and dialogue project exploring social ideas about masculinity. Described by audiences as "groundbreaking" and "something that needs to keep on happening," the April UCB presentations will highlight 15 Bay Area artists, activists, and first-time presenters, ages 20-60, sharing true stories about their lives through slam poetry, monologues, music and dance.

The stories address subjects including: platonic love between men; disability and sexuality; men's restroom rituals; machismo in Latino culture; images of African American masculinity; an Oakland activist's refusal to continue intergenerational patterns of violence; challenging racism; being African American and gay; intergenerational support between men; responding to domestic violence; cancer and wholeness; gender identity; family relationships; personal strength; and gratitude to lifelong mentors.

Art Exhibit: Art of women facing and overcoming violence by local and international artists.Film Showing: "What I Want My Words To Do To You".Writing Workshop: Workshop lead by BCC writing teachers Sharon Coleman & Robyn Brooks.Fundraising event benefitting organizations working to stop violence against women.All proceeds go to Amnesty International and the V-Day Organization.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

a tight poem from poet & good friend Kenji Liu on masculinity. Be sure to peep the rest of his insightful gems at parami10. He and some friends are doing a Poem A Day exercise for April, some really good stuff is comin up. Also look out for his chapbook "You Left Without Your Shoes" coming out on Finishing Line Press. Respect!

(Multiple Answers) The Oscar Grant Protest-turned-riot:

A woman who is not feminist = A woman with high internalized sexism.

why would you want to meet men who are actively anti-sexist?

What last inspired you to explore new sexual territory?

what should be done about homophobia and colonial buggery laws in Jamaica?

How has reading this blog been for you? (you can pick more than one)

which western feminist icon are you? (apparently i'm angela davis)

Which Western feminist icon are you?

You are Angela Davis! You were the THIRD WOMYN IN HISTORY to appear on the FBI's Most Wanted List. You are a communinist, black power-lovin' lady who shook up the United States when you refused to lie down quietly to oppression. You WENT TO JAIL! Wow. You kick so much more ass than Foxxy Brown.Take this quiz!